By Paul Scott Anderson, on October 26th, 2020
Illustration depicting water molecules trapped in lunar soil, along with SOFIA onboard a modified Boeing 747SP jetliner. Image Credit: NASA/Daniel Rutterit
The Moon is generally thought of as a very dry place, with no surface water or even water vapor clouds. Nothing but arid, dusty regolith and rocks. That’s true for the most part, […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on August 24th, 2019
Artist’s concept of Europa Clipper during a flyby of Europa. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
NASA’s next mission back to Jupiter’s moon Europa just took another big step towards reality. The next phase of Europa Clipper has been confirmed, giving the go-ahead for the mission to proceed to final design, construction and testing.
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on June 27th, 2019
Illustration of Dragonfly approaching a site on Titan to take samples. Image Credit: NASA/JHU-APL
It was a much-anticipated announcement, but the winner of NASA’s next New Frontiers mission selection is… Dragonfly! This ambitious mission will be the first return to Saturn’s moon Titan since Cassini/Huygens, and this drone-like rotorcraft will fly to various location […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on January 21st, 2019
Saturn’s iconic rings are one of the most stunning phenomena in the Solar System. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Saturn’s rings are one of the most beautiful and breathtaking sights in the Solar System – but it hasn’t always been that way. New evidence in data sent back by the now-defunct Cassini spacecraft shows that they […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on October 16th, 2017
The final full view of Saturn from Cassini, on Sept. 13, 2017. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI/Jason Major
It has been just over a month now since the Cassini spacecraft took its final plunge into Saturn’s atmosphere, ending an incredible mission of 13 years at the ringed giant planet. The probe continued collecting scientific data […]
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By Ben Evans, on October 15th, 2017
The second Titan IVB roars aloft on 15 October 1997, carrying the Cassini mission to Saturn. Photo Credit: NASA
In the pre-dawn darkness of 15 October 1997, exactly two decades ago, this very day, one of the largest and most powerful rockets ever brought to operational service was poised for launch on Space […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on September 15th, 2017
A last look at Saturn: mosaic made from images taken on Sept. 13, 2017 by Cassini. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute/Jason Major
The moment that many people have been waiting for – albeit with great sadness – has finally arrived, with the Cassini spacecraft ending its mission in a literal blaze of glory. […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on September 8th, 2017
One of the most surreal views of Saturn from Cassini, backlit by the Sun. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
The end is nigh. Those really are not the words that scientists and fans of the Cassini mission at Saturn want to hear, but it’s true. After exploring Saturn and its moons since 2004, […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on August 14th, 2017
Two views of Titan from Cassini, using the narrow-angle camera on March 21, 2017, revealing bright methane clouds in the thick, opaque nitrogen atmosphere, and dark dunes, lakes and seas on the surface. Natural color on left, false color on right. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
There are now less than five orbits […]
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By Paul Scott Anderson, on August 9th, 2017
Saturn’s moon Prometheus lurks near the outer F ring in this new view from Cassini. Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft just completed its 17th ring crossing at Saturn, part of the Grand Finale phase of the mission, leaving only 5 more to go before the mission ends on Sept. 15. […]
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